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Are my plants cross breeding?! What is going on?!

2 years ago

So, I have a golden pothos that I’ve been growing for years, and yes I am 1000% positive that it is pothos. My mom actually potted in a begonia plant as well. it’s gorgeous together! The begonia is green and light Red tint making it look pink. It’s absolutely beautiful. I recently discovered that I have HEARLEAF philodendron growing now! The hearleaf is growing slow and I just noticed it wasn’t pothos about a month ago. And the end of the heartl vine is a pink color. I am so confused as to what is happening! I thought you could only crossbreed within the same species??! does anyone have any ideas?!

Featured Answer

Embothrium

2 years ago

last modified: 2 years ago

Somewhat incredibly there is a very small number of known climbing plant species that do actually change themselves as they grow to mimic other foliage nearby. But none of the three you have asked about here are any of those. And this changing in appearance is not 100%.

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Comments (6)

Embothrium
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
What's going on is that you have 3 different plant species there
getgoing100_7b_nj
2 years ago
What he said. And any kind of breeding requires flowers and compatability. The pollen from anthers of flowers on one plant need to get to the stigma of the flower of the other plant to make hybrid seeds. The species need to be compatible for such cross pollination to succeed. When it does succeed, and the seeds mature, fall to the ground/mix and germinate, the new seedlings will then grow up to be the hybrid plants. Bottom line, adult plants don't change their characteristics somehow magically by "cross breeding" vegetatively (without flowers, seeds, seedlings and new plants being involved).
Haley thanked getgoing100_7b_nj
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
2 years ago
My mom actually potted in a begonia plant as well.

===>> can we rule out mom is not messing with you .. lol ..

i think of begonia as water hogs ... and pathos as needing very little water ... so though the combination might be pretty.. it might be hard to maintain in the future ... i cant tell from the pic if the begonia leaf has a brown edge.. or if that is a camera trick ...

ken
Haley thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
Haley
Original Author
2 years ago
So I talked with her and she said she didnt put the philodendron in there. She very well could have. ive never seen a heartleaf at her house tho. So that’s why I was so confused! Still kind of am. Cuz it’s a new thing. Ive Never noticed it in the past, but I could have missed it. Anyway, thanks for the comments!
getgoing100_7b_nj
2 years ago
The heartleaf philodendron can develop pink/red tint. https://gardenforindoor.com/philodendron-leaves-turning-red/
As to where it came from - the potting soil of either the pothos or the begonia probably had a tiny philodendron in it that wasn't noticeable. It has now grown big enough for you to have found/noticed it.

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